‘Made it hard’ - John Sheridan’s honest take on Sheffield Wednesday’s promotion push

The Owls head into the play-offs against Peterborough United this week as they seek to take a step closer to the Championship by seeing off the Posh over two legs after they missed out on the top two.

Wednesday hit a club record 96 points in 2022/23, but due to the form of Plymouth Argyle and Ipswich Town it meant that – for the first time ever – it wouldn’t be enough to secure automatic promotion.

While ‘Shez’ says that, as a former manager himself, he knows that Darren Moore will be disappointed that they’ve ‘made it more difficult’ for themselves, he thinks that the fans – including his son – can help get them over the line and back up into the second tier.

“I’d love to think so, yeah,” Sheridan said in conversation with the Star. “But they’ve made it hard for themselves… I’ve been to a few games this season – my son is a mad Sheffield Wednesday fan – and they’ve made it a bit more difficult than it should have been but I’ve got to stay confident and be confident that they’re going to go through.

“Peterborough are a tricky opposition with some good players and a good manager in Darren Ferguson. Fingers crossed they can get through the tie and see what comes next.”

“I think Darren’s done a good job,” he went on to say. “But like myself and any other manager would be, he’ll be bit disappointed. He’ll be confident in the team, though… Sheffield Wednesday are a massive club, and months ago it looked like they were going up automatic, but they are where they are and it is what it is.

“Hopefully the support will get right behind them, which we know they will, and they can push on and get out of this league and back into the Championship.”

Wednesday’s first leg away against the Posh will take place at 8pm on Friday evening as they look to get revenge for their league defeat there earlier in the season.

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